UMass Students Find A Reason To Riot

In the wake of UMass's lost to Appalachian State in the Division 1-AA football championship game, 60 police officers in riot gear were called to the UMass campus to control a riot of some kind. There were reports of fires, smashing windows, throwing rocks, and throwing beers. Eleven people were arrested, 10 of them UMass students.

I don't believe that anyone riots over the loss of the 1-AA football championship. If football meant that much to these people, they probably wouldn't have gone to UMass. When someone's looking for a reason to riot, they'll riot. This would've happened with a win or with a loss... in fact, this sort of thing might have happened after the Patriots were only able to beat the Lions by a touchdown a couple weeks ago. It's like people getting drunk on St. Patrick's Day... they're not getting drunk to celebrate a holiday, they're getting drunk because they want to get drunk. The green beer just provides an excuse.

Campus spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said that the cases against arrested students will be reviewed this week and that punishments could include expulsion, loss of this semester's academic record, or having their last names changed to Blaguszewski.

At least one guy isn't going to be surprised by this. Check out this bitter December 5th column from a grumpy gentleman who didn't enjoy some of the language he encountered at a UMass vs. UNH football game.

UMass launches melee investigation [Boston Globe] Joe Sullivan: No class at UMass [Union Leader]